1. Field
The present invention relates to a method for promoting the generation and secretion of extracellular vesicles from cells using extracorporeal shockwave, and thereby the invention can be applied to various studies and treatments because it is not harmful for cells and tissues and can only promote the generation and secretion of extracellular vesicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shockwave is a continuous single sound wave generated by a specific sound wave generator, having high peak pressure amplitude of up to 100 MPa and a short duration of less than 1 μm. The shockwave can be delivered to a specific target area with an energy density in the range of 0.005˜0.32 mJ/mm2.
High-energy extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy is a kind of treatment method for breaking stones in the kidney and bile duct by applying pressure of 35 to 100 MPa to the target area of human body. This method has been attempted as a new treatment method in a variety of fields since it was first tried (Chaussy, C. et al. First clinical experience with extracorporeally induced destruction of kidney stones by shock waves. J Urol 127, 417.420 (1982)). Recently, it has been reported that extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy is used in the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases and is effective for anti-inflammatory action and blood flow increase.
Extracellular vesicles are the microscopic particles secreted by cells in the size of a few nm˜a few μm. In the past, they were regarded as debris secreted from the cells, but they are now considered clinically meaningful. Therefore, various studies about the extracellular vesicles are actively going on. In particular, exosomes, the spherical follicles released by cells, have lots of information about the mother cell protein and DNA, etc. So, it has been attempted to develop a marker and a sensor to detect cancer by using the same as a bio-marker.
Thus, the present inventors have been studying methods for promoting the generation and secretion of extracellular vesicles including exosomes, ectosomes, microvesicles, or apoptotic bodies. In the course of our study, the inventors confirmed that the generation and secretion of extracellular vesicles were increased in the cells treated with extracorporeal shockwave and accordingly established a method to mass-produce extracellular vesicles including target DNA or RNA, leading to the completion of the invention.